⚖️ Audit reveals irregularities in Portugal's defence contracts

Oneliner

The Tribunal de Contas has rejected the 2022 accounts of idD - Portugal Defence, citing significant irregularities in contracts executed between 2020 and 2022. The audit revealed that €1.8 million in loans were made without the necessary approval from the Ministry of Finance. Former chairman Marco Capitão Ferreira is under scrutiny for compliance failures during his tenure. The findings raise serious concerns about public procurement practices in state-owned defence holdings, prompting calls for greater accountability in public spending.

Key points

• The Tribunal de Contas rejected idD's 2022 accounts due to significant legal and financial irregularities.
• Contracts worth €1.8 million were executed without Ministry of Finance approval between 2020 and 2022.
• Former chairman Marco Capitão Ferreira faces scrutiny over compliance failures during his tenure.
• The audit raises serious concerns about public procurement practices in state-owned defence holdings.

Links

• Correio da Manhã: Auditoria arrasa empresa da Defesa que foi liderada por antigo governante. Houve contratos feitos "sem suporte legal"
• Público: Tribunal aponta irregularidades em contratos da idD Portugal Defence entre 2020 e 2022

Facts

• The Tribunal de Contas published its audit findings on February 10, 2026.
• idD - Portugal Defence's 2022 accounts were rejected due to non-compliance with legal standards.
• Marco Capitão Ferreira chaired idD from 2020 until early 2022.
• The audit was requested by the then-Minister of National Defence in 2023.

Quotes

• The financial and budgetary statements do not present fairly and appropriately idD’s financial position — Tribunal de Contas
• At no point were there acts that harmed the public purse — Marco Capitão Ferreira

Article